Inappropriate behavior at Gaydays....

[ConcKahuna]

Let me just start by saying that when I go to the parks, I normally don't care what other people are doing, and so I don't pay attention to them. That being said, this year I made it a point to look for the behavior I've heard people complain about.

I got nothing.

Really, I didn't see anything I would consider off-color or things that shouldn't be in a theme park.

PDA's: There was a lot of hand holding, a few quick kisses (nothing heavy, just a few quick pecks), and people standing together holding each other. I'm not a fan of PDA's in theme parks, no matter what your sexual identity. The only PDA I saw that was inappropriate was a straight teenage couple who were grinding a bit during Spectomagic.

Clothing: I was impressed with how witty people have gotten with Gaydays shirts. One group of young guys had shirts with female names on the front and "Miss" on the back that was part of a phrase ("Miss-understood," "Miss-taken," etc). There were some shirts with things like "You must be this tall to ride this ride" and whatnot, but they weren't bad. Probably the worst I saw were the Fcuk shirts, but you see those on straight people all the time in the parks. Oh, and one older genleman with a sunhat covered in flowers and a long rainbow boa wrapped around it, but then again straight people do that stuff too.

I was also impressed with the HUGE number of gay families this year. From the older gentleman with his partner and 8 adult children staying at the Polynesian, to the large number of gay and lesbian couples pushing strollers through the parks, it was really great to see so many families enjoying Gaydays together.

Now for the bad stuff I saw. Yup, there were a few (well, two) things. The first was while we were walking from the Magic Kingdom to the Contemporary to take a bus to Downtown Disney. A college-age girl felt the need to hang out of the window of the SUV she was riding in and make gagging noises at us followed by a shout of "Homosexuals!" I shouted the reply of "I sure am!" and they were gone. The second incident was when we had boarded the bus to DTD. There was a gay couple near the front sitting next to each other, and they kissed a few times (once again no tounge, just a chaste little peck). A woman nearby felt the need to yell at them, telling them that Disney was for kids and there was no place for them, and that she didn't want her child to see it (of course, her child had been oblivious until she said something, then the child watched the guys the rest of the trip to see what must have been so wrong). They responded with "Disney is for everyone!" When the bus unloaded at PI, they did decide to share a pretty heavy kiss on thier way off. I felt that was a bit much, but at the same time it was 10:45pm and there was lots of it going on right outside of the bus at the PI entrance (both straight and gay couples), so it's not like the child wouldn't have seen it. Doing it just to get a reaction was probably not a great choice however.

 

[OrlandoMike]

Found this on the Internet last night....


http://celebrationfl.blogspot.com/

OOPS, looks like this was already posted on the EPCOT thread....

I'm working too many hours! LOL

 

[ConcKahuna]

That's a great article!

 

[4eyedbuzzard]

Hi, just thought I'd offer my unsolicited straight perspective if you're interested. I think one of the biggest problems is that many straight and/or to varying degrees homophobic people have a lot of images of gay pride parades with lots of in your face behavior and skin and leather and boas and (add image of choice)... burned into their brains. It's a tough image to get past at times, and I must admit that I find such images distasteful(honestly can't tell you why, I just do - perhaps the "militancy" of it?). Along with that goes the sensationalized stories of pedophilia in the schools and churches(yes, I know, this behavior is hardly limited to gay offenders), and of course the "abomination" bible crowd (who btw offend me a lot more than even overt behavior at gay pride parades). So when people here that "Gay Days" is going on at WDW, it it preloads all this imagery and prejudice. If they attend and see something that triggers this image, many are just not mature enough to handle it respectfully. [I am not defending them] My own intolerance issue is that I honestly am less annoyed for some reason at two heteros going on "PDA overboard" in public than two gay people. I know I shouldn't be anymore offended by one over the other, but I would be less than honest if I didn't admit that to both you, and more importantly to myself. Something to work on.

Fifty years of ingrained societal mores are hard to overcome, as is my personal experience with friends who were gay(much of this was in the late 70's early 80's) Many of them were into the Plato's and bathhouse scene, and many are sadly no longer alive. I do take offense a bit when some gay people tell me that my perceptions are just stereotypical nonsense. I mean, I was there when my friend Greg was voted the "New Years Queen" of New Hope. Greg, aka Stella, was "just one of the girls", and there was no shortage of them at New Hope or Fire Island. I witnessed to some degree the incredibly promiscuous behavior that led to many of their deaths and to the stereotype of gay people being promiscuous. Now, I know that not all gay people behave in this fashion, in fact the majority probably didn't and don't especially now, but some definitely did and still do, and as an eyewitness to such it is part of my experience and "prejudice". And yes, I know lots of promiscuous staright people as well. In my youth, I tried like heck to be one of them with varying and usually disappointing degrees of success

As to two gay people holding hands in the park, or a short kiss, etc - it really doesn't bother me. I may look or notice it more than a hetero couple doing the same thing(forgive my stare if I do) but it's not because it really offends me, it's just that it is a bit of "man bites dog", somewhat out of the norm for what I see every day.

Anyway, just thought I'd offer this up on a slow Sunday morning.

 

[TuckandStuiesMom]

Found this on the Internet last night....


http://celebrationfl.blogspot.com/

OOPS, looks like this was already posted on the EPCOT thread....

I'm working too many hours! LOL

That WAS a great article (the equal focus on getting a walk-in @ Ohana as well as the social observations particularly resonated with this old lady LOL!) and sums up the way most heterosexual folks feel, I think.

My first and only WDW Gay Days was in 1996. My mom had scheduled the trip months in advance, to coincide with my youngest son's graduation from kindergarten and immediately prior to some scheduled surgery that would have him pretty much incapacitated through the rest of the summer. Aside from a few more red faces on TV (religious nut-cases spewing specious crap) and a few more red shirts at the parks (nowhere near as many as in the MK photo from the article), it was just another GREAT day for the kids.

It seems to me that consciousness-raising can, and does, happen in the strangest ways, in the strangest places. Seeing people (any people) that we may have misconceptions about, doing and enjoying the same stuff we do and enjoy -- helps us focus on what we have in common. After the commonality of the human condition is established, we can then go on to explore and celebrate our differences. Woo-hoo! Win-Win!

 

[TuckandStuiesMom]

A college-age girl felt the need to hang out of the window of the SUV she was riding in and make gagging noises at us followed by a shout of "Homosexuals!"

Pitiful...
Looking into my crystal ball, I can foresee this girl's future at 40 years old. It includes a red-faced, skirt-chasing husband who wears golf shirts and comfort-cut dockers; a mortgage that is just a little too high; a bad tummy-tuck; two teen-age children that despise her; and a vague sense that life did not turn out like she expected...

 

[OrlandoMike]

Pitiful...
Looking into my crystal ball, I can foresee this girl's future at 40 years old. It includes an red-faced, skirt-chasing husband who wears golf shirts and comfort-cut dockers; a mortgage that is just a little too high; a bad tummy-tuck; two teen-age children that despise her; and a vague sense that life did not turn out like she expected...

And a gay hairdresser who is her only true friend!

 

[inkkognito]

So glad y'all liked my blog (I'm the crazy woman who writes http://celebrationfl.blogspot.com)! This morning Gay Days was getting some negative discussion on our Celebration internet...not because of sexual orientation, but because of the fireworks last night! I was up late and heard 'em on my side of town (for me, one of the delights of living next to WDW is being able to hear Illuminations and the others fireworks shows). Apparently some others did too and were distressed that it was after midnight. Gasp! Like they didn't realize that when you move next door to theme parks, you're gonna hear noise and it's gonna go late at some times of the season. I think of it this way: rather than framing it as "Oh, God, how dare they shoot off that stuff in the middle of the night," I prefer, "Thank God I live in Florida, right next door to Mickey, and hearing the fireworks is a reminder that I'm one of the luckiest people in the world!"

And on another note, sounds like that teen's parents are doing a stellar job of raising a bigot. I was hoping that someone like her would notice my t-shirt and say something to me directly, as I love to challenge narrow minded people (and as a doctor of psychology, I can verbally turn 'em every which way but loose!). But although a got a few dirty looks, no one actually said anything out loud.

 

[TuckandStuiesMom]

inkkognito

LOVED your most recent blog and went on to read some of your other entries -- The one about peeing in the palmettos TOTALLY had me giggling. (Here in AZ, we look for a properly sized bunch of rocks! Bushes tend to have creepy-crawlies hanging out in 'em, under 'em, and around 'em) Figment is a lovely guy! I too have a dearly beloved and pampered pony -- although she would totally freak if I ever tried to ride her over a teeter-totter. (Cannot even IMAGINE how bad the equine safety overdrive would kick in, under those circumstances )
You are a VERY gifted writer!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

I was at MK yesterday. I had almost cancelled because of the forecasted weather, but I'm so glad I didn't. Many people must have, because I thought the crowd was pretty low. The weather ended up being pretty great given what we were led to believe it would be.

For the record, I'm straight and saw (rather heard) only one inappropriate thing all day. We were walking by the stockade photo op thingy near the Riverboat and one guy was posing for his friends in the stockade. He exaggeratedly stuck out his butt and said, "you know you like me in this position." His friend said, "I'll pretend I didn't hear that," and my 13 year old DS made a face and said, "ewwwwww!" I just kept on walking.

Other than that, nothin'. It was a really nice day.

 

[Viki]

Listen, this is nothing personal and I really don't care, but I can't help feeling that this whole discussion is inappropriate. I would no more think of myself, because I'm lesbian, to act inappropriately than I would think the same likely because of my gender or race.

And, hey, that's not to say I'm NOT likely act inappropriately at times - I just might. I like speaking my mind. I'm very confidant. I have a powerful voice and presence. I like a dirty or two ... but none of this has anything to do with my sexuality.

 

[hrcst2]

My partner thinks I am insane to want to go to Gay Days once?

I know some of you have said that you have gone at that time, do you regret having done it?

We normally go at the beginning of December each year, because he likes the smaller crowds.

I guess I just want to go once and be out in the open cute with him. We never feel like we are hiding down there, but I just like knowing we can hold hands because most of the rest of the park also is.

Crazy(?) Harry

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Listen, this is nothing personal and I really don't care, but I can't help feeling that this whole discussion is inappropriate. I would no more think of myself, because I'm lesbian, to act inappropriately than I would think the same likely because of my gender or race.

I agree with the sentiment, but the fact remains that every year here on the DIS there are countless threads of people asking what happens during gay days and is it appropriate for children, blah blah blah. Perhaps if people come back and say, "hey, it was no big deal," someday the turmoil here will die down. It should be no big deal.

As I roam through WDW, it's pretty darned rare that I notice sexual innuendo or behavior on any given day. I'll occasionally roll my eyes at a teenaged couple going at it, but talk of a sexual nature is not generally heard and at Disney that's as it should be.

 

[Viki]

I agree with the sentiment, but the fact remains that every year here on the DIS there are countless threads of people asking what happens during gay days and is it appropriate for children, blah blah blah. Perhaps if people come back and say, "hey, it was no big deal," someday the turmoil here will die down. It should be no big deal.

As I roam through WDW, it's pretty darned rare that I notice sexual innuendo or behavior on any given day. I'll occasionally roll my eyes at a teenaged couple going at it, but talk of a sexual nature is not generally heard and at Disney that's as it should be.

LOL!!! Yes, it's verified in new ways everyday: how old I'm getting. I was in the mall three weeks ago and I swear there was a teenage girl giving a teenage boy a lap dance right outside of Lane Bryant's. What is it with the teens and PDAs?

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

What is it with the teens and PDAs?

We're so old that we don't remember being the same way!

 

[Viki]

We're so old that we don't remember being the same way!

Exactly! So pathetic - really, I'm not sure maturity is all that it's cracked up to be


Oh, see, there I go, behaving badly!!!

 

[CanadianGuy]

Listen, this is nothing personal and I really don't care, but I can't help feeling that this whole discussion is inappropriate. I would no more think of myself, because I'm lesbian, to act inappropriately than I would think the same likely because of my gender or race.

And, hey, that's not to say I'm NOT likely act inappropriately at times - I just might. I like speaking my mind. I'm very confidant. I have a powerful voice and presence. I like a dirty or two ... but none of this has anything to do with my sexuality.

Exactly! So pathetic - really, I'm not sure maturity is all that it's cracked up to be


Oh, see, there I go, behaving badly!!!

Viki:

Actually I was with Conc Kfor both of those two events that he described. And one of us .. as we walked away from the bus-incident.. said "I wonder how that would have gone down with Viki on the bus.."

I agree with ConcK that the daughter was oblivious till her mother made a scene about it.. In the middle of the whole thing, the daughter even said "Mom... what's wrong? What's going on?"

And I agree with your thoughts about this discussion.. but since there have been in the past numerous posts (even one from PETE!) about the content of GayDays events.. I think that makes it a relevant discussion.

Personally, as with ConcK, I didn't see ANYTHING at the parks that jumped out at me as wildly inappropriate... (other than the entire Plaza restaurant making me redder than my shirt by singing Happy Birthday to me.. )

Knox

 

[aprincess72]

So glad y'all liked my blog (I'm the crazy woman who writes http://celebrationfl.blogspot.com)! This morning Gay Days was getting some negative discussion on our Celebration internet...not because of sexual orientation, but because of the fireworks last night! I was up late and heard 'em on my side of town (for me, one of the delights of living next to WDW is being able to hear Illuminations and the others fireworks shows). Apparently some others did too and were distressed that it was after midnight. Gasp! Like they didn't realize that when you move next door to theme parks, you're gonna hear noise and it's gonna go late at some times of the season. I think of it this way: rather than framing it as "Oh, God, how dare they shoot off that stuff in the middle of the night," I prefer, "Thank God I live in Florida, right next door to Mickey, and hearing the fireworks is a reminder that I'm one of the luckiest people in the world!"

And on another note, sounds like that teen's parents are doing a stellar job of raising a bigot. I was hoping that someone like her would notice my t-shirt and say something to me directly, as I love to challenge narrow minded people (and as a doctor of psychology, I can verbally turn 'em every which way but loose!). But although a got a few dirty looks, no one actually said anything out loud.

I'd love to know where you got your shirt! I want one!!!

 

[OrlandoMike]

Young people act like young people regardless of their sexuality, race, or religion. If you think Gay Days are bad try working one Night of Joy! I can tell you the behavior on that night is much worse! Young gay men can be a little over the top, but oh well, what can you do? The Saturday crowd at the MK though has really blossomed with gay families, and not so much the "strictly young gay men" of the early years.

As for the poster asking about going to Gay Days for the first time, GO! There is nothing like holding your partners hand, watching the fireworks, and knowing for once in your life its ok!

It's so large now, there are actually events for women, bears, twinks, and just about every other sub category you could think of!

 

[piscesborn]

I have not yet been to gaydays and frankly its not a big deal if I get to go or not. Im not much of a crowd person and I KNOW there are LOTS of people. Anyway, I believe people should be able to equally express how they feel for a loved one. I however do feel that there is a time and place for everything regardless of who you are. Holding hands, hugging, or a quick peck on the cheek is fine. Making out groping etc... I don't think so. I would be equally inclined to avoid it, not really offended but uncomfortable I guess.

As for the old woman who made the comment about its disney and she didnt want her kids seeing it, I guess the kids will walk around for life with blinders on. The couple making out as they did I agree went a bit overboard. But I understand why they did it. Anyway just my two sense.